Estancia Los Potreros
Location
There’s no signage from the road, so this place is something of a well-kept secret. Arriving here is not just a discovery of a beautiful and remote location, but also one of being welcomed into a tight-knit community.
Accommodation
Each individual in design and décor, the rooms feature the kind of antiques and character that are part of the biography of more than 250 years. That’s not to say that there aren’t modern additions: textured petiribi wood countertop detailing in the en-suites adds yet another chapter to the story.
The heart of the estancia is the dining table, so perhaps lend a hand in the kitchen to contribute to yet another evening of the kind of cordial warmth that is the essence of Los Potreros. You’ll have the freshest of ingredients to work with, many – not surprisingly – directly from the farm itself. The typically idyllic climate of the Sierra Chicas hills is the setting for sizzling barbeques and long, blissful al fresco evenings of hearty food, wine, conversation, and the chirping of monk parakeets.
Saddle-up Experiences
The estancia and the surrounding hills, cloaked in the golden paja brava grasses, provide diverse terrains, challenges and objectives for treks on horseback. There’s plenty to learn from the loose-reined gauchos who work on the estancia, all of whom have grown up in a saddle.
The estancia is frequently recognised with accolades such as ‘The World’s Best Riding’ (Real Travel) and ‘The Most Inspiring Horse Rides Around the World’ (Huffington Post). There’s something for everyone, from a couple of hours learning the basics for beginners and kids to overnight adventures and galloping with the gauchos.
- Trail rides take you along hidden valleys to waterfalls and swimming holes, past homesteads and remote churches, and out onto open hillsides under enormous skies.
- Get involved in the day-to-day activities of the gaucho cowboys. Help them to protect the herd from pumas, round up and move the cattle to corrals for counting and vaccinating, and deliver salt to the hillsides.
- Challenge yourself to some gaucho skills practices. Enjoy barrel racing, learning to lasso, and the galloping targeting task of ‘sortija’. Then watch the experts!
- For anyone who loves horses, Argentina is the place to try polo. There are weekly informal sessions of tuition and practice games, but the estancia also runs specific ‘learn to play polo’ weeks run by seasoned professionals.
Experience Argentina's Good Life
There’s also plenty to keep you at the homestead, with beautiful gardens full of shady trees, a delightful swimming pool, and the joys of the kitchen. Whether you venture out or not, at the end of the day, you’ll enjoy superb food and a few bottles of the estancia’s own wine label.
- Walks and hikes can be self-guided or accompanied by a member of the estancia community. Trails vary from just one hour to a full day, allowing you to discover the landscape and its natural and cultural fascination.
- In addition to condors, the skies and canopy here are home to an array that includes hummingbirds, mockingbirds, peregrine falcons, black vultures and nightjars. One of our favourites is the burrowing owl, which often stands like a sentinel on the fence posts.
- Verandas, shady trees, hammocks, lush lawns, the pool, and characterful armchairs all add up to plentiful temptation to relax with a glass of Malbec and a book.
- This is the place to learn from the experts about Argentine culinary traditions. The chefs love to have guests in their gorgeous traditional farm kitchen to teach them the secrets of empanadas, pan dulce, and the gaucho’s favourite refreshment: mate.
Positive Impact
We prioritise working with properties that collaborate with local communities and address location-specific needs, from education to conservation. We assess our partners to ensure the people we work with share our values of ensuring our trips continue to act as a force for good. Here we share some of the positive impacts your stay here contributes to.We prioritise working with properties that collaborate with local communities and address location-specific needs, from education to conservation. We assess our partners to ensure the people we work with share our values of ensuring our trips continue to act as a force for good. Here we share some of the positive impacts your stay here contributes to.
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